| SUMMARY: |
The enlargement policy of the European Union is arguably one of
the most impactful from a variety of standpoints, including that of
perceptions of the appeal that the unification project has always been in
dire need of. Apart from this, enlargement has constantly prompted
prominent change in the functioning of the decision‐making processes of
the Community/Union, which inherently turns more intricate
proportionally to the number of members that join the club. Without a
doubt, the most spectacular episode in the history of this policy occurred in
2004, when the symbolic and inherently political gesture of opening the
doors of what had often been ironically referred to as “fortress Europe”
were slammed open to no fewer than 10 East‐Central countries, with more
waiting in line.1 Whether this event happened ahead of its time or was a
logical reparatory action remains the topic of heated debates in the
literature, with notable variations between more complacent attitudes from
countries that have made a point of encouraging the openness of the EU,
and openly hostile views on the part of those that have been critical of the
consequences and price to pay (sometimes literally) of the broadest
enlargement wave to date. |
|